This invention relates to dust collection and, specifically, to the collection of paper dust generated by papermaking machines, such as tissue making machines.
Dust, e.g., paper fibers and other small air borne debris, is formed during the production of tissue paper and other types of paper. The amount of dust generated by paper making machines (e.g., tissue making machines) has increased as the speed increases of the paper webs passing through paper making machines. Greater amounts of dust tend to be created with paper machines that produce soft tissue paper and papers having high crepe ratios.
There is a need to remove dust produced during paper making processes. Dust removal is needed to avoid problems that may arise with dust collecting on the paper making machines and paper webs formed by these machines. Removal of substantial portions of the dust generated by paper making allows for improved paper quality and printability of the generated papers.
Conventional dust removal systems, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,898 ('898 Patent), utilize various shapes of exhaust cross machine headers. Dust collectors typically uses large amount of exhaust air to evacuate the dust developed during the paper making process. The '898 Patent discloses a dust collection cylinder having an interior air vortex and water spray that entrains dust laden air as soon as the air enters the collector. In the dust collector shown in the '898 Patent, the inlet to the dust collector is short and recessed with respect to the cylindrical collector such that the dust laden air is immediately wetted by the vortex of air and water within the collector.